Officials in Sweden reported that 177,000 authentic Swedish passports have been stolen or lost. Security officials state that many of these passports may have been sold on the black market to criminals.

According to intelligence agencies, Swedish passports are being sold on the black market for human trafficking purposes. These passports are being sold at prices of up to $12,200 (80,000 Swedish Kronor).

Previously, a reader submitted information about the price of marijuana in Stockholm, Sweden. In that data post, the reader explained the price structure of the marijuana market in Stockholm.

In a follow up submission, more information about the marijuana trafficking and growing operations that takes place in Sweden. According to our reader, Swedish marijuana is grown across the entire country. However, with criminal justice programs targeting growers in the major cities, more marijuana cultivation plants have moved to the countryside. There have also been reports of various organized crime groups being involved in large scale marijuana cultivation farms, such as the Vietnamese Mafia, Albanian and Kurdish gangs, as well as outlawed motorcycle gangs.

Marijuana that is trafficked into the country is brought in from Denmark, Germany and Poland. Small growers in Sweden are attempting to grow their own weed in order to lower the amount of marijuana that is trafficked by organized crime.

According to our reader, marijuana is sold for $15.56 to $18.67 (100 to 120 Swedish Krona). The marijuana is available for sale in bags filled with 4 to 5 grams of marijuana. The 4 gram bags are sold for 500 Krona ($77.80), and the 5 gram bags for 600 Krona ($93.36).

Back around 2005 or 2008, the price of marijuana in Stockholm increased from 500 Krona for 5 grams (100 kr per gram) to 600 Krona for 5 grams (120 kr per gram).

Wholesale prices for marijuana in Stockholm is between $3,900 to $6,260 (25,000 Krona to 40,000 Krona). 100 grams of marijuana is sold around $940 to $1,410 (6,000 to 9,000 Krona).

Swedish Customs Officials state that up to 2,000 young puppies are illegally smuggled into Sweden each year. The dogs are bred Eastern European countries and then smuggled into Sweden in boxes and bags to avoid detection.

Animal welfare officials report that many of the puppies that are smuggled are chihuahuas, pugs and French bulldogs.

Source: “Puppy smuggling shows no signs of abating,” The Local, June 18, 2013.

Prosecutors in Sweden convicted 2 people for human trafficking in 2011. An additional 11 people were convicted for pimping that was connected to the trafficking charges. During the year, 450 men were convicted and fined for buying sex.

A report by the Association for the Reintegration of Women in Prostitution (APRAMP) stated that 39 percent of Spanish men have paid for the services of a prostitute at least once.

Following Spain, the next four highest usage of prostitution by male citizens of the country were Switzerland (19 percent of men), Austria (15 percent), Netherlands (14 percent), and Sweden (13 percent).

An estimated 700,000 women work as prostitutes across the European Union.

Along with the Czech Republic, Nordic countries have a high rate of addicts receiving drug treatment for use of amphetamines.

The Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland have between 57 percent of 82 percent of all drug treatment residents being addicted to amphetamines, according to the United Nations.